Israeli Troops Withdraw to Areas Around Gaza Border

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A convoy of Merkava tanks park at a deployment area near the border with the Gaza Strip on August 2, 2014. Photo by Yonatan Sindel/Flash90.

JERUSALEM — The Israel Defense Forces has withdrawn most of its troops from Gaza to areas around the border, Israeli media reported.

Despite the withdrawals on Sunday, there has been no order to end the Gaza operation, in its 26th day.

The IDF spokesperson said in a tweet that: “As operation Protective Edge moves to the next stage, we are redeploying to enable combat against Hamas and continued defense from tunnels.”

IDF strikes on Gaza reportedly have decreased in frequency. Rafah reportedly is the only area where IDF forces are continuing to operate, as they work to destroy a tunnel, according to Ynet.

Rockets fired from Gaza continued to strike southern Israel on Sunday, however.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a nationally televised news conference on Saturday night did not set a time for the end of Operation Protective Edge. “Every option is on the table to ensure long-term quiet to the residents of Israel,” he said. “I won’t say when we’ll finish and where we’ll go. We have no obligation outside of our security concerns.”

Israel also was scheduled to open Gaza crossings Sunday to allow 200 trucks of humanitarian aid, including medicines and medical equipment, into the area.